Explore the best rated trails in Saint Charles, MD. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Meadowlark Connector Trail and Ox Road Sidepath. With more than 108 trails covering 4553 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
The Marvin Gaye Trail offers a paved pathway through the Deanwood, Burville, Lincoln Heights, and Hillbrook neighborhoods of Washington, DC. Just shy of 2 miles, it runs from Minnesota Avenue NE, near...
Southern Maryland's Three Notch Trail is a work-in-progress under the guidance of St. Mary's County and other stakeholders. When complete, the recreational trail will extend 28 miles along an...
The Rappahannock River Heritage Trail offers a pleasant, paved route in the center of Fredericksburg with beautiful views of the Rappahannock River. Part of the trail winds through Old Mill Park,...
Maryland's Intercounty Connector Trail serves as an important commuting route across Montgomery County and Prince George's County. It gets its name from the Intercounty Connector (also known as State...
The Four Mile Run Trail traverses the Four Mile Run stream valley and has many twists and turns, not to mention steep sections (mercifully short). The trail more or less parallels the popular W&OD...
This paved sidepath runs parallel to Centreville Road/State Route 657, providing a safe route for alternative transportation along the busy suburban roadway in western Fairfax County. The trail runs...
In Northern Virginia's suburban community of Springfield, Lake Accotink Park provides a wilderness escape amid the city surroundings. The 500-acre park features picnic areas, miniature golf, an...
This bike and pedestrian path threads through the park of the same name. The trail exists in 2 sections: the northern segment begins in the Fairland Recreational Park and winds south, eventually...
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Prince George's County's Paint Branch Trail (not to be confused with Montgomery County's Paint Branch Trail farther north) runs for 3.5 miles between Lake Artemesia and Cherry Hill Neighborhood Park...
Formerly known as the Parklawn North Trail, this path provides a bike-ped connection from the Twinbrook neighborhood to the Rock Creek Trail. The paved trail begins at the end of Rock Creek Mill Road,...
The Folly Lick Branch Trail begins in Herndon, a northern Virginia suburb. The paved pathway begins off Herndon Parkway and winds northeast along the Folly Lick Branch stream through a residential...
The Savage Mill Trail in Savage Park travels along the rolling Patuxent River through the grounds of an old cotton mill. In the early 1800s, Savage was a major manufacturing center, harnessing power...
The Ox Road Sidepath is a paved trail that runs parallel to Ox Road/State Route 123 in Fairfax County. The trail runs from George Mason University's main Fairfax campus to just south of the former...
The Vesper Trail, which opened in 2019, serves as a short but important connector between Tysons and northern Vienna. The pathway spans 0.4 miles between the Spring Hill Metro Station (on the Silver...
Following the Potomac River, the C&O Canal Towpath traverses the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland. For...
Running parallel to Beulah Street from Franconia to Fort Belvoir in southeast Fairfax County, the paved Beulah Street Sidepath provides a link to numerous neighborhoods along its route. A parallel...
Burke VRE Trail lies within Pohick Stream Valley Park and provides an important commuting and recreational corridor, connecting a shopping center, residential neighborhoods, and a Virginia Railway...
This short rail-with-trail is short but makes some pretty significant connections: it links the King Street and Braddock Road metro stations. It also connects to the Potomac Yard Trail, helping to...
Providing an important urban link between the Crystal City area of Arlington and the western edge of historical Alexandria, the Potomac Yard Trail is a huge boon to the area for commuting as well as...
The Burke Lake Loop Trail offers a nearly 5-mile route for a pleasant walk or bike, while enjoying the beautiful scenery around Burke Lake in Fairfax. Since the Burke Lake Loop Trail is within Burke...
The #8 Streetcar Path runs just a short distance (0.33 mile) along part of the route of the former streetcar system that once ran between Catonsville and Ellicott City. The streetcar operated from...
The Warrenton Branch Greenway follows a segment of the former Warrenton Branch Spur railroad, running between downtown Warrenton (at S. 4th Street) and Meetze Road. The Warrenton Branch was...
The Woodrow Wilson Bridge Trail provides a superb link between Alexandria, VA, and Maryland's National Harbor over the Potomac River. This well-used trail crosses on the up-river side of the bridge...
Cameron Station Linear Park is the quintessential neighborhood trail. Located in Alexandria, a suburb of Washington, D.C., it offers a pleasant paved pathway frequented by joggers, dog walkers,...
In Northern Virginia's suburban community of Springfield, Lake Accotink Park provides a wilderness escape amid the city surroundings. The 500-acre park features picnic areas, miniature golf, an...
Providing an important urban link between the Crystal City area of Arlington and the western edge of historical Alexandria, the Potomac Yard Trail is a huge boon to the area for commuting as well as...
The Grist Mill Trail at Patapsco Valley State Park course for 2.5 miles through the heavily wooded park between Ilchester Road and Lost Lake. The trail is gentle and wheelchair accessible. It passes...
The Folly Lick Branch Trail begins in Herndon, a northern Virginia suburb. The paved pathway begins off Herndon Parkway and winds northeast along the Folly Lick Branch stream through a residential...
The 3-mile separated multi-use path along Middletown Road allows for safe recreation and transportation along the western side of Waldorf, Maryland. The trail begins just south of State Route 228 and...
Following the Potomac River, the C&O Canal Towpath traverses the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park for 184.5 miles between Georgetown in Washington, D.C., and Cumberland, Maryland. For...
The Custis Trail is a popular urban route that links Virginia's D.C. suburbs with the District itself, connecting to both the W&OD Railroad Regional Park Trail at the latter's 4-mile marker and the...
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Rock Creek Trail forms a winding path, at times narrow, through the urban greenway of Rock Creek Regional Park. The trail extends between Needwood Lake northeast of Rockville, MD, and the Washington,...
The Lone Wolf Trail is a 1-mile trail in Anne Arundel County Maryland. The trail is connected to two already existing trails: The Strawberry Lake Way Bicycle Path, and the WB&A Trail. Although the...
The Four Mile Run Trail traverses the Four Mile Run stream valley and has many twists and turns, not to mention steep sections (mercifully short). The trail more or less parallels the popular W&OD...
The first thing you may notice about the Trolley Line #9 Trail is the boardwalk that curves between the bluffs of massive rock. The granite was hand cut in the 1890s when the electric streetcar rails...
Burke VRE Trail lies within Pohick Stream Valley Park and provides an important commuting and recreational corridor, connecting a shopping center, residential neighborhoods, and a Virginia Railway...
Washington, D.C.'s Fort Circle Park Hiker-Biker Trail links some of the District's dozens of Civil War era forts (now national parks) that were built to defend the city from attack by the southern...
Southern Maryland's Three Notch Trail is a work-in-progress under the guidance of St. Mary's County and other stakeholders. When complete, the recreational trail will extend 28 miles along an...
The Klingle Valley Trail spans just shy of a mile in a leafy, residential area of northwest Washington, DC. The trail opened in June 2017 and is accessible to the neighborhoods of Cleveland Park,...
The Dahlgren Railroad Heritage Trail (DRHT) traverses a scenic forested landscape abounding with wildlife in Virginia's Northern Neck. The rail-trail, which was designated as a National Recreation...
The Lone Wolf Trail is a 1-mile trail in Anne Arundel County Maryland. The trail is connected to two already existing trails: The Strawberry Lake Way Bicycle Path, and the WB&A Trail. Although the...
The Anacostia Tributary Trail System includes a number of trails linked together and managed by the National Park Service. The trail include: the Anacostia River Trail, the Northwest Branch Trail, the...
Annapolis' Poplar Trail runs for nearly 1 mile on a section of the old Washington, Baltimore & Annapolis right-of-way in the heart of Maryland's capital city. Although short, the trail is a vital part...
Prince George's County's Paint Branch Trail (not to be confused with Montgomery County's Paint Branch Trail farther north) runs for 3.5 miles between Lake Artemesia and Cherry Hill Neighborhood Park...
If you are looking to augment your physical workout with some intellectual exercise, look no further than the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail. The scenic, paved, 13-mile community trail is brimming with...
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This trail traces a hilly green swath located in a Pepco electric utility right-of-way that stretches between South Gernmantown Recreational Park and Muddy Branch Stream Valley Park. It's a natural...
Note: This developing route is not yet fully contiguous – it is just over 50% complete. Please refer to the Trail Map for more information on the existing sections of trail, as well as the online...
The Gwynns Falls Trail is a 19-mile continuous corridor connecting dozens of west and southwest Baltimore neighborhoods with parks, historical and cultural landmarks and the urban business district....
The Henson Creek Trail is located in the southwestern portion of Prince George's County, Maryland, and connects the growing District of Columbia suburbs of Fort Washington and Oxon Hill with the...
Southern Maryland's Three Notch Trail is a work-in-progress under the guidance of St. Mary's County and other stakeholders. When complete, the recreational trail will extend 28 miles along an...
The Lake Artemesia Trailone component of the larger Anacostia Tributary Trail Systemcompletely encircles its scenic eponymous lake in Prince George's County, Maryland. The trail is also a great...
The Marvin Gaye Trail offers a paved pathway through the Deanwood, Burville, Lincoln Heights, and Hillbrook neighborhoods of Washington, DC. Just shy of 2 miles, it runs from Minnesota Avenue NE, near...
Downs Park Trail is located in Downs Park on the Chesapeake Bay just north of Gibson Island. The 3.5-mile perimeter trail is paved, popular for walkers and cyclists alike, and an additional 1.5 miles...
The John Overstreet Connector is a 1.5-mile trail segment that links the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail and BWI Trail. The shortbut vitaltrail is named after Overstreet, a retiree from Glen Burnie,...
Although it parallels Eisenhower Avenue, this paved pathway is not without its charms. On its west end, Alexandria's Eisenhower Avenue Trail begins in Hensley Park, which offers plentiful parking and...
The Town of Brentwood is tucked between Mt Rainier & Hyattsville in Prince George's County, Maryland. This short stretch of paved trail sits on the crest of a levee along the south bank of the...
The Mary Washington Hospital Trail runs along the southeast border of the hospital center, proving a pleasant stroll or gentle bike ride for hospital visitors and patients.
Rock Creek Trail forms a winding path, at times narrow, through the urban greenway of Rock Creek Regional Park. The trail extends between Needwood Lake northeast of Rockville, MD, and the Washington,...
The Braddock Road Sidepath parallels Braddock Road and New Braddock Road (State Route 620) between Centreville and Burke, two bedroom communities in Northern Virginia's Fairfax County. The trail...
Lake Frank is a 54-acre reservoir located in the heart of Rock Creek Regional Park in Derwood, east of Rockville. The reservoir, together with Lake Needwood was created for flood control and was named...
I took my bike and started up this trail from its terminus at the Occoquan Marine Park near Lorton, VA. For the 1st mile, it was obvious, a nice paved trail heading inland slightly up hill. After a mile, I encountered a cross-walk. There was NO marker on the other side, but I assumed the trail continued there. It then went into and around the side of the old Lorton Prison, which is now called the Workhouse complex. Within the complex, the trail ... just came to a stop at a parking lot. No signs, no arrows ... no anything. The map which Traillink provides showed no clear detail of where to go next. I asked 3 people, none of whom had any idea. I biked around all the buildings, went out onto the street, found nothing, and got ready to quit. Then, I talked to a biker who said to find the trail, I had to go out onto a main road (Workhouse Rd.), turn right, and I'd eventually find some signs. I biked over a mile, went into another park and biked around, and found nothing. Finally, I saw what looked like the trail, going UNDER the main road through a tunnel. Biked back up Workhouse Rd, eventually found a small branch off the road with a small GT trail sign in the back, followed its paved trail, only to find it dead-ending. Backtracked and discovered I had to branch off the paving onto a dirt trail to keep on the GT trail. Took it for 1/2 mile, came to a fork in the trail, but again, no sign as to which fork to take. I then gave up in disgust, and biked back to my car.
This trail markers are very poor. Fairfax Cty is a major well-maintained municipality. One would think its major cross-county trail would be reasonably marked. Its not. Thoroughly disgusted!!!
As you ride out to Mount Vernon, you feel like you are far away from NoVA/DC. Beautiful views across the river. Just be aware of the many roots that are cracking through the trail - not a smooth ride, but a great trail location.
Most of the recent reviews are spot on. If you are used to crushed limestone or asphalt the bulk of this trail is bumpy and full of exposed rocks, ruts and tree roots. The downside is you have to keep your eyes front and center most of the time. The Paw Paw Tunnel detour is a real challenge. I only had two panniers that were not full and it was a struggle. Can’t imagine how the fully loaded bike packers did it. (But I’ve also not done any mtb, so that could affect how easy/hard it was.) But the amount of history and really cool places to stop and explore make it worth it. Beautiful aqueducts and lock houses as w.landmarks makes up fo me the trail conditions.
***ATTENTION***
The Paw Paw detour due to the tunnel being closed which with talking to the construction crew, will remain closed for another 18 months (Spring ’23) but when reopened, it will have a new riding surface.
The marked detour is not like any other that I have ever experienced on a trail which normally is a divert to local roads until you can rejoin the trail. Eastbound is best described as a mountain bike trail which is narrow in sections and at a 10 to 15 percent grade with exposed roots, rock gardens (rocks vertically embedded in the trail surface) and other obstacles. With a bike loaded down with gear, it is extremely strenuous to make it to the top and over the tunnel. Just pushing your bike up and over East bound is a challenge also.
Westbound is a trail that is a large enough for a vehicle but also has 10 to 15 percent grades but has a loose surface for a majority of it.
From Cumberland to Paw Paw, the trail is need of maintenance as there is numerous hazards to include mud holes that are deep (10” to 12”), segments of large branches and this time of the year with leaves falling, they hide some of the obstacles. You must keep your eyes on the trail and not sightsee for this section of C&O.
Also, confirm your dining options along the trail as even if sites on the internet say they will be open during your visit, you may be disappointed and going hungry due to the lack of staffing.
The rest of the trail is in great condition to DC and be aware as you approach the Capitol and it is on a weekend that there will be plenty of trail traffic as they enjoy this gem in their backyard!
Here's a note I received on 10/5/2021 from the Trail Development Program Manager for the Prince Georges County Department of Parks and Recreation.
Dawn Thomas is the Anne Arundel (AA) County Recreation and Parks point person for the project.
PG Parks is a partner in the project.
The latest news from AA County is that a Pre-Bid meeting was held by the Dept. of Public Works (AAC).
Contractors will be preparing bids for construction in October.
Contractor selection will happen in Nov-Dec. timeframe, and then a contract will need to be signed by the appropriate parties.
Depending on weather and the contractor’s planned schedule for construction activities, work will start in early 2022.
A planned construction schedule won’t be available until early 2022. In general, it will take at least 12 months, however weather will play a huge role in determining the actual timeframe.
My aunt and I took a quick walk on this path. It’s a peaceful walk on a paved path with a burbling creek nearby. A lovely step into nature in the Cleveland Park area.
It was alright - the trail didn’t give much view of the lake itself and also didn’t circumnavigate it. You just kind of end up in a neighborhood. That said it was wide and well maintained and easy to navigate.
I started out planning to ride the entire trail, beginning at the trailhead on Bloombury Rd. I made it to Mile Marker 4, which is another trailhead, and decided I’d had enough for one day. The scenery is absolutely beautiful, but some have mentioned the rocks. At this end of the trail, there is only gravel. My problem, for which there’s no real solution, was the roots that crisscross the trail. They’re not the huge roots that can take you down, but they’re unavoidable, and there are a lot of them, and they make for pretty rough riding. I agree with those who recommend fat tires/mountain bikes.
Some parts are fine, parts very bumpy, and some sections have very thick, large stones that are difficult to maneuver through.
Seems like a great path but horribly marked. I started at the Occoquan end and made it maybe five miles before getting frustrated and lost several times. There are intersecting trails, neighborhood paths, etc. that all look the same but no signage to tell you which way to go. Halfway through I started using this app for the trail map and still got off the trail several times.
Came from MI. To Baltimore, MD. to ride with my son. Awesome paved trail. Lots is things like the old ranger station to stop and see.
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